European iPhone Carriers At Warranty Risk After First Year

9to5Mac today cites a recent Strand Consulting report putting the spotlight on iPhone warranty risks for European carriers. The dilemma? A European law demanding a two-year product guarantee for all consumer electronics buyers, where Apple’s free warranty is for one year only.

“Apple only gives their customers a one-year guarantee,” according to the report, “resulting in the retailers having to cover any additional repair costs during the second year of the phone’s life — costs that can be potentially very expensive if a certain model turns out to contain many defects.”

Of course, the iPhone has yet to show any such defects in any of its three generations. Strand Consulting is quick to point out that most manufacturers will generally cover the second year obligations on their own product, but that Apple does not.

The report suggests that if Apple is not interested in helping operators cover their guarantee obligations, they should examine the possibility of taking out insurance against possible future repair costs. “If you are an operator and have sold hundreds of thousands of iPhones, you only need a simple calculator to work out what it will cost if 5 to 10% of those become faulty during their second year of use,” the researchers warn.

At least the Europeans have less to worry about than some other countries: “In Norway, a court ruling required that retailers in certain cases give a five-year guarantee, resulting in the consumer being able to able to have their handset repaired at no extra charge for up to 5 years,” the report also notes.